Class 3A: Moapa Valley comes up just short in title bid

The Pirates’ remarkable run to the Class 3A state tournament final came up one shot short Saturday in a 45-42 loss to Churchill County at Orleans Arena. It was the Greenwave’s third consecutive state championship.

By Bartt Davis Las Vegas Review-Journal

March 2, 2019 - 3:08 pm

Churchill County’s Leilani Otuafi goes to the basket against Moapa Valley’s Kaitlyn Anderson during the second half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Moapa Valley’s Lainey Cornwall (12) drives to the basket against Churchill County’s Leilani Otuafi (20) during the first half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County players celebrate their win against Moapa Valley in the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County players celebrate their win against Moapa Valley in the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County players celebrate their win against Moapa Valley in the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County players celebrate their win against Moapa Valley in the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County fans cheer during the second half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game against Moapa Valley at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County’s Alexis Jarrett (12) jumps to keep the ball in against Moapa Valley’s Kaitlyn Anderson (11) during the second half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County’s Madison Whitaker (23) shoots over Moapa Valley’s Emilie Barraza (13) during the second half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County’s Madison Whitaker (23) goes to the basket past Moapa Valley’s Kaitlyn Anderson (11) during the second half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County’s Leta Otuafi (24) and Alexis Jarrett (12) battle for a rebound against Moapa Valley’s Ashlyn Western (3) and Peyton Schraft (10) during the second half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Churchill County’s Leilani Otuafi (20) moves the ball around Moapa Valley’s Kaitlyn Anderson (11) during the second half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Moapa Valley’s Emma Humes (23) shoots against Churchill County’s Madison Whitaker (23) during the first half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Moapa Valley’s Lainey Cornwall (12) moves the ball against Churchill County during the first half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Moapa Valley’s Lainey Cornwall, left, looks to shoot under pressure from Churchill County’s Madison Whitaker (23) during the first half of the Class 3A girls basketball state championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Moapa Valley’s girls would trade every accolade they’ve earned this season for one more shot.

One more field goal. One shot that would just fall in.

The Pirates’ remarkable run to the Class 3A state tournament final came up one shot short Saturday in a 45-42 loss to Churchill County at Orleans Arena. It was the Greenwave’s third consecutive state championship.

“I’m just so proud of these girls,” said Moapa Valley coach Brandon Jones, whose team made its first state final since 2000. “We’ve had three straight seasons of 20-plus wins. We got to the championship game for the first time in 19 years. I couldn’t be more proud.”

The Pirates made just 11 of 42 shots from the field Saturday, including just 6 of 27 2-point shots. The team’s two leading scorers — senior Lainey Cornwall (16.8 points) and junior Kaitlyn Anderson (14.1 points) — combined to shoot 3-for-23 from the field.

“We had a couple roll in and out that would have made a difference,” Jones said. “We’ve been inconsistent with our offense all year, but what has been the difference these last two weeks has been our defense, and we played well there again.”

Moapa Valley (21-10) also showed some early nerves, committing seven turnovers in the first 2:40 of the game and 10 in the first quarter.

Yet, the Pirates found a way to hang around against a taller Greenwave (26-2) team.

Churchill County built a 24-15 lead on Makenzee Moretto’s 3-point play with 1:35 to play in the first half, but Moapa Valley closed the deficit to 37-33 after three quarters.

“We had chances where we could have just given up,” Jones said. “But we kept battling back.”

The Greenwave again threatened to pull away when Leta Otuafi’s coast-to-coast layup bumped the lead to 42-35 with 4:30 to play.

The Pirates stiffened defensively, not allowing another field goal the rest of the way, and got within 44-42 on an Emma Humes 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association will hold its spring meeting Wednesday and Thursday, when at some point this will be addressed: Review of “Contribution to Victory” Rule Regarding Forfeits — For Possible Action.